17 Iron sharpens iron,
and one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17 CSB)

I always have some form of knife on me. Typically as part of a Leatherman multi-tool, but it has been a part of my every day carry since I was a wee boy growing up in small Texas towns. It is a tool and as such needs tending. But I am pretty bad about keeping it sharp. Even though I have a few really nice sharpeners.

As individuals, we also need to be the whetstone against which Christian brothers and sisters hone their edge. Even as friends this should be the case. In fact I think the latter with a friend who is not a believer is just as important. Because we may be the only source of biblical values and insight that they come in contact with.

Our jobs are to dig deeply into the Word and provide sound advice and insight to those around us. Not making ourselves some form of Biblical scholar necessarily, but simply one of sound grounding in scriptural wisdom. It is not through our great wisdom others are honed, but from the Spirits leading to provide sound insight.

But we cannot be this sound sounding board without spending time digging into the scripture ourselves. We also cannot be the whetstone others sharpen against if we are not grounded in the, sometimes, abrasive nature of scriptural truth.